Do You Encourage Your Children To Daydream?

I came across an article that says Nicole Kidman encourages her kids to daydream. I thought that was pretty interesting. I don't think many parents do that. On the contrary, I believe most of us try to stop our children from daydreaming.  If you had a child daydreaming while doing homework, I'm sure you'd say "STOP DAYDREAMING". Apparently, Nicole Kidman  regards it as a time for her children to relax and have "creative" time. And you know what, she may be doing the right thing.

Let's turn to what the scientists have to say about this.

According to researchers from the University of Wisconsin and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, daydreaming may help to increase the brain's memory capacity. I guess you could say that it is one way to exercise the brain.

I've always tried to keep my children's imagination alive. I think school dulls their creative ability and so I always look for ways and activities to nurture their creativity. I guess I shall put 'daydreaming' down on my list. However, there is a time and season for everything. So work time is still work time. Daydreaming will be like 'dessert'.

What do you think? Do your kids daydream?

Related articles

• The power of daydreams: 4 studies on the surprising science of mind-wandering

Helping your Kid Survive Their First Sleepover

Sleepover (Photo credit: secondtree)

Some parents are terrified of sending their kids to their first sleepover. Others may just be thankful for a night of peace and quiet. Either way, this will be many kids’ first time sleeping in a room where their parents are not just across the hall or in a house they may not be familiar with, and this can be intimidating. By following a few suggestions you can help your kids have a fun and safe time at their first sleepover.

1. Learning about their home for the night

When you drop your kids off at the home they will be staying at, walk through the house and show them where the bathrooms they will use are, where they can go to get drinks or a late night snack, and anything else they may need during the night. This way the child will not need to worry about asking for permission or finding whatever they need at night. This also can help to prevent your child from walking into a room where they could get hurt or accidentally wake someone up.

Another important thing to do is let the hosting parents and friend know if your kid has any medication they will need to take, or a disorder, like diabetes, asthma, autism or severe allergies. They should know what symptoms are typical and which ones might be more serious and warrant a call home or hospital visit. You should also make sure that your child can communicate the kind of problems they might experience from their disorder, and let their friends know in what situations they should wake up their parents for help.

2. Social Skills

A first sleepover can be scary for kids. A whole night of playing and talking with their friends may be far more socializing than what your child has experienced in other situations. While the sleepover will probably be full of games, movies and other fun activities, there may also be a lot of downtime. During popular sleepover events, like scary stories or funny jokes, you don’t want your child to feel left out. To prepare them, teach them some scary stories and funny jokes that they can spread to their friends during the sleepover. This way they can be involved in the conversation all night.

3. Homesickness

Sleeping in an unfamiliar room far away from your family may be a totally new experience for your child. To help them become more comfortable with this, have them try sleeping in a different room at your own house. Because there may not be enough beds for each kid at the sleepover, get your child used to sleeping on other surfaces. For example, they can try sleeping on a cushy rug or a couch in the living room. By getting used to sleeping in these locations, they may be able to fall asleep faster at their friend’s house.

So your kid can feel at least a little bit at home during their sleepover, let them bring along their own pillow, if not their blanket as well. Having some of their own bedding can be a huge source of comfort while they are trying to fall asleep. If they can’t bring their own blanket, your child may only be given a sheet or thin quilt. Consider packing a pair of footed pajamas for kids, so they can stay warm like they would if they had their comforter from home. If they have a stuffed animal they like to sleep with, this could be helpful too. Just be mindful of how old they are, as at some ages bringing along a stuffed animal may become a source of teasing.

Sleepovers are an important part of kids’ social lives. However, the first one can be nerve racking for even the bravest child. By using a few techniques to help your kid survive their first sleepover, you may be able to help them have a great time spending the night with their friends.

Make Your Own Easter Party Bags

Aren't these Easter party bags the cutest? And the best part is, you can make it yourself. They are totally easy and fun to make. Fill them with candy, chocolate covered pretzels, chalk, crayons, or anything else you can think of.

Here are the links to the different digital kits

• FREEBIE 1
• FREEBIE 2
• FREEBIE 3

To claim the free gift, you will need to create an account at the MyMemories website. Then you just click "add to cart" and you'll be able to download from your "my downloads" page.

The easiest way is to have the MyMemories Suite Scrapbooking software. If you do, you can easily install it directly to the software. If you don't have the software, you can still use the free digital kit. Just choose the download option for general use. It is suitable for software applications such as Adobe Photoshop & Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, etc....  

For the tutorial, just click here.

p.s. If you are in need of fun Easter games for your party, check out these printable games.
Save 20% on orders $15 and up this Easter! Use 'EASTER20' at checkout. Offer ends 31st March 2013.

Easter Books For Babies and Toddlers

I came across this Karen Katz book that is perfect for Easter. It is called Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs?.

It is a board book and the pages have flaps for our kids to lift. My first Karen Katz book was Where Is Baby's Belly Button? . My kids loved that book and I enjoyed reading that book to them. This Easter book is just as colorful and entertaining as all her other lift-the-flap books. Yes I admit, I'm a big fan of Karen Katz books.

Here are some other Easter themed books you might want to check out.

4th Generation iPad Review

Everywhere you go, you will see someone using an iPad. Shows what a successful tablet computer it has become. It was the original iPad tablet that made tablets popular. It started a trend. Well, after 3 upgrades, we now have the new 4th Generation iPad. It's also called iPad with Retina Display. You probably heard of the iPad Mini too. That is like a sister-device aimed at competing with other smaller devices like the Kindle and Google’s Nexus.

DO YOU HATE THE 4TH GENERATION IPAD?

Some people were not too happy when they launched the 4th Generation iPad.  Mainly because the 3rd generation iPad was released only 7 months earlier. I guess you can say they felt cheated. If they had just waited another 7 months, they could have had the latest and more superior product.

IS THE 4TH GENERATION IPAD WORTH BUYING?

For those who don’t already own a 3rd generation iPad, the 4th generation iPad does represent a decent upgrade. So let’s take a closer look and see if it’s actually worth buying.

Key Specs For The New iPad

• Price Range: $499 - $929
• Storage Options: 16 GB; 32 GB; 64 GB; 128 GB
• Dimensions: 9.50 x 7.31 0.37 inches
• Screen Size: 9.7 inches
• Resolution: 2048 x 1536 pixels
• Processor: Dual-Core A6X; Quad-Core Graphics
• Photo Quality: 5 MP
• Video Quality: 1080p HD
• Battery Life: 10 Hours

WHY YOU SHOULD GET THE IPAD 4

• THE iOS MAKES IT EASY TO USE
  Whether you’re a seasoned Apple tablet user or not, the chances are you’ll be pretty familiar with the way Apple’s tablet operating system – iOS – works. That’s one of the biggest selling points of iPads – they’re easy to get your head around because they use what’s become the standard operating system on the market today.
  iOS is a highly streamlined operating system that makes it easy for people to navigate their device and do the things they want to do. It deliberately keeps things simple so that it can appeal to the broadest market possible, catching casual users too. iOS makes for a satisfying user experience and is a definite positive of this device.

• SHARP AND BEAUTIFUL IMAGES
  Apple’s Retina Display has become pretty famous with tablet fans. It’s easily the nicest screen on the market thanks to its ultra-high resolution and incredible pixel density. Essentially, this makes for really crisp images across the board, from the menu system and web pages to movies. If you’re a real fan of beautiful images, then the Retina Display will push all the right buttons. Currently it’s the best in class.

• BLACK OR WHITE - YOU CHOOSE
  The 4th generation iPad has the same familiar options that previous iPads have had when it comes to color. This is somewhat limiting, but remains classy. Choose between black or white, both of which have a stylish appeal that won’t spoil your chic fashion sense whatever you wear.

• 4 STORAGE OPTIONS
  This iPad comes with 4 storage options, making it the first iPad to do so. The options are 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, as standard for tablets, and a new 128GB option. This storage increase is great for heavy duty users, especially those looking to use an iPad in place of a laptop. 128GB doubles the amount of data you can store on this iPad over any previous iPad, which is a significant change.

• ONE OF THE FASTEST TABLETS
  This is the fastest iPad ever. Thanks to a processor upgrade from the A5X of old to the A6X everything flies along. Navigating the menu, switching between apps, browsing the web and gaming are all handled with complete finesse. This also means that games with more demanding graphics can also function just find on the newest iPad. It’s one of the fastest tablets on the market today.

• IMPROVED CAMERA FOR SHARPER IMAGES
  The front facing camera on this iPad has been upgraded. It’s now an HD camera that allows for sharper images of yourself – whether photos or webcam – and can also record in full 720p. This is a nice improvement over the camera of the 3rd generation iPad.

• APPLE'S APP STORE - MOST APPS AVAILABLE
  Apple’s App Store is still the best resource for apps in the tablet world. It’s got the most apps available and the lowest instance of corrupt and broken apps or virus-carrying apps of any applications store.

• LTE TO ENJOY FULL STREAMING MEDIA
  LTE is fast becoming a standard option for tablets and smartphones. It’s an ultra-fast cellular data service that can actually outperform conventional WiFi. It’s astonishingly fast, meaning you can enjoy full streaming media wherever you are provided you’re in range of your LTE network provider. This is a costly upgrade option but one that many will think is worth it.

 

COMPLAINS ABOUT THE IPAD 4

• DESIGN SAME AS 3RD GENERATION
  Compared with the 3rd generation, the 4th generation iPad doesn’t represent much of a design upgrade. It’s the same size and weight and features the exact same screen as the 3rd generation.

• HEAVY
  If you like to hold your tablet in only one hand then you may find that this is on the heavy side. It’s not comfortable for extended periods of one-handed use. However, this is true with any tablet! You can always buy the iPad Mini if you like something smaller.

• SPEND MORE ON A SPECIAL ADAPTER
  A major annoyance for owners of older iPad accessories is that this version isn’t compatible with those accessories. If you do want to make use of them with the new iPad you’ll have to pay for a special adapter, and it’s not cheap.

• IT'S EXPENSIVE
  The price of the iPad has long been an issue. Apple ride high on the strength of their brand, charging a premium price. The basic model will set you back around $500 and that will only give you 16GB of storage. If you want the largest 128GB storage option as well as support for LTE cellular data you’ll have to pay a massive $929. You need deep pockets to own an iPad.

Is The New iPad Worth Buying?

If you are looking for one of the best tablets in the market, then you won't regret owning the 4th generation iPad. It does so many things right. For many people, the biggest problem would be the price. But if money is not an issue with you, then nothing should stop you from getting it.

If you already own a 3rd generation iPad, it may not be in your best interest to make the switch. There's not much of an upgrade to make it worth spending extra money. Of course, maybe you really, really want to have the latest model. Then I can only hope that you are able to sell your current model for a good price.

It is a different story if you own a 2nd generation iPad or another older tablet. This will mark a big step up on all fronts and you’ll definitely be a satisfied customer. Highly recommended.

3 Things You Can Do To Help Baby Fall Asleep

Sleeping baby (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you have a baby who keeps waking up a night, you probably think whoever came up with the phrase "sleeping like a baby" must be crazy.

Well, the fact is some babies are better sleepers than others. However, you should be aware that it is normal for newborn babies to be waking up every two to three hours at night as they usually are hungry or wake due to a wet diaper. This phase should last only up to three months, but it can be longer for other babies.

Having a baby sleep throughout the night is one problem. Having them fall asleep in the first place is another problem. Some babies can just fall asleep on their own easily.  Others need a bit of coaxing.  

If you find that your baby is waking during the night or having a hard time falling asleep, here are a few tips that may help smooth the transition from wakefulness to sleep time.

Shorten Naps During the Day

If you find that your four month or older baby is having a difficult time falling asleep or is waking every two to three hours during the night, but sleeps for four to five hours during a day nap, it's time to shorten the napping period. Switch the sleep and wake clock on your baby.

Put your baby down for his or her nap at the same time each day, if possible. Slowly and gently wake your baby after two or three hours of sleep. This may cause crying in the beginning, but keep your baby occupied so he or she does not fall back asleep. This process will help your baby get down to sleep in the evening.

Soothing Bath Before Bedtime

Begin to settle down in the evening with a soothing warm bath for your baby. Sometimes a lavender baby bath will do the trick to calm the baby. Don’t get into playing during bath time. Talk softly and gently wash your baby enticing his or her senses with the lavender. Some parents like to use Babo Botanicals Lavender Meadowsweet 3 in 1 Bubble Bath Shampoo Wash because it has a plant based formula. In other words, it doesn't have all that harmful chemicals like sulfates, parabens and artificial fragrances. The smell is not too strong. Instead it is very soothing and calming.


After the bath, rub your baby down with some baby lavender lotion, gently massaging his or her feet, legs, arms, and hands, all the time keeping the noise level low. I like to put baby powder on my babies. You should consider using Johnson's Baby Powder, Pure Cornstarch, Lavender and Chamomile. It feels great on the body and it uses cornstarch instead of talc, which is safer. Gently clean your baby’s gums or teeth, still keeping your voice soft. Over time, this will begin to signal to your baby that this is quiet time and time to sleep.

Reading a Bedtime Story

In your baby’s room, have a dim light on while you complete the dressing after bath time. Swaddle your baby and sit in a rocking chair or other comfortable chair and begin to read a short bedtime story.

As you are reading, hold your baby snug to your body, gently rocking him or her, and reading in a soft, gentle tone. After the story, place your baby in his or her crib, set the mobile music, a few rubs on the back, say goodnight, and walk out of the room.

Have you heard about Cloud b Sleep Sheep On The Go Travel Sound Machine with Four Soothing Sounds? It is a soft toy in the shape of a sheep that plays soothing sounds like a gentle stream, spring showers, ocean waves and harmonious whale sounds. It has won some awards from the National Parenting Council's Seal of Approval and the iParenting Media Award. Many parents love it because it is soft, cuddly and helps lull their kids to sleep.

ROUTINE IS IMPORTANT

It is important to understand that this is a process. These tips are to set a routine that occurs each night at the same time so your child will automatically start to wind down and want to sleep at a certain time. Your baby may fuss for about a week, but this should soon dissipate. Don’t respond to the little fussy cries and before you know it your baby will be sleeping through the night. Video baby monitors is a great tool to have at this time. That way, you can check on your baby through the video monitor to see if they are just fussing or really need your attention. You don't have to go in and out of the room. That might disturb your baby even more.

Oh yes, one more thing to note is that waking during the night more frequently than normal can be a sign that your baby is uncomfortable. If your baby is teething, have colic, wind or skin rashes, you can expect restless nights. Other than that, just keep up your bedtime routine.

Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light Turtle

Place this nightlight on the floor in the center of the room, and it will project a starry night sky onto the ceiling and walls. Lying there watching the night lights will slowly lull your children to sleep. Awesome!

Make Your Own Party Favor Box

Kids always expect party favors when they attend a party. The next time you throw a party, you can make your very own party favor fry box. Fill it with candy, chocolates, crayons or whatever you can think of.

This is very simple to make if you have the MyMemories Suite scrapbook software. Here's the digital papers, elements and quick pages that you can download to easily make it ...... FRY BOX FREEBIE

I've been using MyMemories Suite for a while now and I find it so easy to use. I've already created 2 photobooks with it. Here is a page that I did.

Don't get the wrong idea that this software is just for scrapbooking. You can do crafts too (like the party favor fry box ) and the MMS team is always coming up with new craft ideas.

Currently, thereis an offer of a FREE professionally published 20 page softcover 6x6 photo book along with full license purchase of the newest version of the MyMemories Suite v.4 Scrapbooking and more software. Go check it out. It's time to do something nice with all those photos collecting on your harddrive.

Are You An Overprotective Parent?

I was reading an article with this title: Why Parents Need to Let Their Children Fail

It was written by a teacher and she was sharing some examples of how parents overprotect their children. She starts off with a story of how she encountered a student who had submitted a plagiarized paper. She was going to give that student a zero for the paper plus disciplinary action. Then the student's mother calls and admits that she was the one that wrote her daughter's paper. She did her daughter's homework because her daughter was stressed out.

I know some of you are shaking your head going 'tsk, tsk, how can the mother do that?" Let's not be quick to judge others. I'll be first to admit that I sometimes do things to "pick up my children's slack". Just the other day my daughter called me from school to say she left a book behind. I wanted to be a good mom and so took the book to her. Anyway, this article was a good reminder that helping our children isn't always helpful.

Here are some excerpts from that article: 

This is what we teachers see most often: what the authors term "high responsiveness and low demandingness" parents." These parents are highly responsive to the perceived needs and issues of their children, and don't give their children the chance to solve their own problems. These parents "rush to school at the whim of a phone call from their child to deliver items such as forgotten lunches, forgotten assignments, forgotten uniforms" and "demand better grades on the final semester reports or threaten withdrawal from school." One study participant described the problem this way:

I have worked with quite a number of parents who are so overprotective of their children that the children do not learn to take responsibility (and the natural consequences) of their actions. The children may develop a sense of entitlement and the parents then find it difficult to work with the school in a trusting, cooperative and solution focused manner, which would benefit both child and school....

But children make mistakes, and when they do, it's vital that parents remember that the educational benefits of consequences are a gift, not a dereliction of duty. Year after year, my "best" students -- the ones who are happiest and successful in their lives -- are the students who were allowed to fail, held responsible for missteps, and challenged to be the best people they could be in the face of their mistakes.

 I think many times we have the misconception that we are a bad parent if we do not help our children. Let us take a moment to reflect upon the consequences of our actions. Are we crippling our children or helping them stand on their own 2 feet?

We must remember that failure and mistakes are stepping stones to success. We must teach this to our children too. When talking about failures, Thomas Edison comes to my mind. How many times did he fail before he invented the light bulb? Some say 1000, some say 10 000. Don't know which one but it is still a lot of failures. However, he didn't see them as failures. He learned something from each experiment.

MAMAS PARENTING TIP

• We all want our children to succeed. However, failure is part of the formula to success. 
• Encourage your children to solve their own problems. Let them know you have confidence in them. 
• Do not underestimate your child's ability.
• Helping doesn't always make you a good parent. Not helping doesn't always mean you are a bad parent.
• Don't sweat the small stuff.
• It's not about you, it's about them.
• Love doesn't mean doing everything for them, solving all their problems or shielding them from bad choices. 
• I'm not saying don't help your children at all. I'm saying be wise in how we help our children.

So, are you an overprotective parent? Do you agree that we should let our children fail sometimes?

What You Can Do When Reading With Little Kids

I came across an article that shared 10 tips on how you can make reading with your children more enjoyable. Here is the article: Early Literacy Strategies

 2 tips that I particularly like are "‘Plant’ words during the ‘preview’" and "Make connections". Read the article for further explanation.

MAMAS READING TIPS

• My kids always enjoy our reading session more when I use funny voices for the different characters.
• It is okay to skim through the book without reading it word for word. Some young kids do not have the patience sit through the entire book. Or they have yet to learn how to enjoy reading books. So you can keep your reading session short by just flipping through the pages and talking about the pictures. Summarize the story in your own words or change the story in a way that you know will catch their attention. For example, instead of focusing on the story, you could flip through the pages and ask your child to point out certain things in the picture e.g. "where's the dog in this page?" or "can you find the blue flower in this page?"
• Interactive books are fun for young children. As you read, they get to lift the flaps or press buttons.
• Don't push your child to read. If they don't want to read anymore, let them go even if you're in the middle of the story. Try to find another time to read. Maybe they don't want to read because it is not interesting to them. After a while, you should get an idea of what kind of books they like.
• It shouldn't just be about learning to read. Be careful not to ask too many questions while you're reading. Sometimes you just need to enjoy the book together. Remember, education happens when you make it fun.

Here are some books that I've enjoyed reading with my kids.

When A Child Has A Big Cut On The Lips...

When a child gets hurt, the mom hurts as well, if not more.

My son fell yesterday and ended up with a big gash on his lip. Took him to the hospital and he ended up having 12 stitches.

As the surgeon arrived and the nurses were getting all the medical equipment ready,  I could see he was very scared. His body was rigid and his fists clenched. The anticipation is always the worst, don't you agree?

The surgeon had to jab him in the lips to numb the area. Blood just started oozing out. Yup, my hubby and me got to watch the whole thing. I'm sure I was more disturbed by this whole ordeal than him. My DH probably found it interesting to see how it was done.

Anyway, the surgeon covered my son's face. Only his nose and mouth were visible. The surgeon said it was a little difficult to stitch because it wasn't a straight cut. It was more like his lips were sliced at an angle and one corner was curved. The stitching took about 30 minutes I think. It felt like a long time. But I think the surgeon did a good job. My son's lips look normal again. I didn't think about taking a picture before the stitching but if you can imagine, that part was kinda detached and sticking out.

Mamas Parenting Tips

• Do check out your child properly when they hurt themselves. I didn't realize he had that big a laceration until 2 hours later. When he just fell, he came into the house bleeding. I took him to the bathroom to wash his lips a bit then gave him some tissue to hold it against the wound. I saw one small cut on his lips and noticed some bleeding from one tooth. So he was holding tissue against his lips the whole time. Later I went out to buy dinner. When I got back, he was on the bed sleeping. He wasn't covering his mouth anymore and the bleeding had stopped. That is when I saw the big open wound. It was at the bottom of his lower lip so you couldn't really see it unless you were looking from the bottom angle.
• To stitch a lip laceration, you need the skills of a dental surgeon. I went to a local clinic and the general doctor couldn't help. 
• Take your child to the doctor within the hour. Because of my delay, the surgeon said very likely there's infection already. He gave my son antibiotics.
• Make sure your child has insurance. This cost us a bomb. We paid about RM1000.

Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with 3.5 Inch Color LCD Screen

If you are looking for a reliable video baby monitor, you must consider Motorola's MBP36 digital video baby monitor. Among all the video baby monitors out there, it is one of the best rated baby monitors. It is also currently one of the best selling models. Many parents love it because all its features work exactly as expected.

Let's take a quick look at its features and functions.

• 3.5" color LCD screen, up to 25 fps
• 2.4GHz FHSS technology (wireless connection) with two-Way communication
• Color LCD screen with infrared night vision
• Remote pan, tilt, and zoom
• Additional camera capability to take digital pictures when needed.
• Five lullabies built in
• Data encryption for security
• 5 LED alerts for sound-activated lights
• Room temperature monitor
• Up to 200M range with "out-of-range" warning
• Expandable up to 2 parent units and 4 cameras
• Can be wall mounted

WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVING THIS MONITOR THE THUMBS UP?

It can be extremely frustrating when you bring home a baby monitor that fails to function as it should. Most common complaints about video baby monitors are:
- Grainy images
- Annoying static, crackling and popping sounds.
- Bad sound quality
- Bad reception because of inteference from other wireless products
- No security. Other people are able to listen in to your conversations or pick up images of your baby.
- Limited range of reception. They could not get a reception in certain places in the house.

Well, lots of people are pleased with this Motorola digitial video baby monitor because it eliminates all the problems above.

CLEAR PICTURE AND AUDIO

The picture is very clear, even the night vision. The 3.5" color LCD screen is bigger than most baby monitor screens. You don' have to squint to see what's going on.

Wireless broadband, cordless phones and other wireless technology will not likely interfere with your reception. Vice versa, this monitor will not interfere with your home network too. You won't get irritating static noises. Not only do you get a clear picture, you have good audio too. These are some feedback from parents:

"Monitors that I have previously owned have interfered with my wireless network and watching Netflix through Apple TV and browsing the Internet was filled with annoying buffering delays and would sometimes override the wireless signal completely. Motorola has completely eliminated this problem with its new wireless technology. This monitor has never interfered with my home network and everything works beautifully together."
Amazon customer

"Also, I live in a two story home with wireless everything (my house is Grand Central with all the wireless technology.) and this monitor does great with cell phone, wireless router, and computer reception. There is no interference at all."
Amazon customer

"One common baby monitor complaint is that people have to crank the volume to hear their babies crying, but that's definitely not a problem here. We've got the monitor a good 8 feet away from the baby and if we want, we can hear every gurgle and grunt she makes. Additionally, the audio going the other way (i.e. speaking to your baby) is remarkably clear. "
http://reviews.thesource.ca
The Source Reviews & Ratings

"I am a light sleeper and wake at his every roll and whimper at night. I used to get NO sleep. With this monitor I can put the volume up loud to hear every little move or put the volume down low to only wake when he cries loudly."
Amazon customer

SECURITY

Analog monitors may be less expensive but they do not give you the security that the digital monitors offer. Analog monitors use radio waves. That's why other people in the vicinity can pick up on your transmission. Digital monitors convert sounds into data. This Motorola baby monitor comes with data encryption. You don't have to worry about your neighbors eavesdropping or picking up images of your baby. Likewise, you won't be seeing other people's baby on your monitor.

GOOD RECEPTION RANGE

If you have a large home, reception range is important. With this baby monitor, you can be up to 200 meters away. You can go out into the yard and still get reception. If you are out of range, the monitor will alert you. Complimenting its exceptional range, one mother on Amazon shared how with other baby monitors, some places in her home were "completely off-limit" but that wasn't the case with this motorola digital video baby monitor.

EASY TO USE

It is no hassle to install. Many parents prefer to wall mount the camera because they get a better view. You can hold it in place with just one screw. You don't have to be tech savvy to set it up. You'll figure out all the buttons in no time.

PORTABLE

It is easy to carry around the parent unit. It is compact and lightweight. There's also a kick stand that puts it at a 45 degree angle when you put it down. The only thing missing is a belt clip. The monitor runs on a rechargeable battery when you are mobile. The battery has about a 3.5 hour life. When not moving around, you can keep it plugged in.

2 WAY COMMUNICATION

This baby monitor allows you to talk back to your child. So if you see them climbing out of the crib, you can sternly tell them to get back in. Your voice comes through clearly. It won't sound garbled if you don't put your mouth too closely to the handset. It's also not too loud. Your child will not be scared by it.

PAN, TILT AND ZOOM FOR BETTER VIEWING

You can remotely pan, tilt and zoom the video camera. Gives you the ability to view a wide area of the room. Really helpful if you have toddlers that could be anywhere in the room. Many parents make special mention of how quietly the camera moves. So important because we don't want to disturb sleeping babies right?

The zoom is up to 2x. The enlarged image is not perfect but it is not too bad. Here is one mother's comment, "Currently if I mount the camera 4 feet away and set it on 2x zoom, I can see her chest moving up and down."

 

OTHER BENEFITS

• The monitor also gives you a temperature reading. That way you know if the room is comfortable for your children. 
• You can play 5 lullabies to lull your babies to sleep. However, not everyone uses this feature but it is an extra that's nice to have. 
• Need a baby monitor for two rooms? This model allows you to expand up to 4 cameras. You can choose to scan through all the cameras or manually switch to the camera of your choice. To manually choose a camera, you just need to hit the ok button until you get to the camera you want. With the scan mode, you'll see 12 seconds of each camera. Unfortunately, you won't be able to see all the cameras at once on the screen. You can get the extra camera here: Motorola Additional Camera for Motorola MBP36 Baby Monitor, Brown with White
  Hopefully it is in stock.
• Sound-activated light. The monitor has 5 LED indicators that light up when baby makes a sound. The louder the sound, the more indicators light up. This is especially helpful in certain circumstances like when the radio or television is turned on or you're doing vacuuming
• .An alarm which you can set at 2, 4 or 6 hours. You can use this feature to remind you of feeding times.
• At 25 fps, you are seeing the images in real time. There is no delay. If something happens to baby that need your attention, you can see it and get to your baby fast.

CONS

• Some websites (including Amazon) say this model can expand up to 2 parent units. However, this is not the case. If you check with Motorola tech support, they will tell you that this information is wrong. The cameras only work with one parent unit.
• You cannot mute the audio.
• To control the volume, you have to go to the menu first. There is no external knob. Some parents think its a pain. Others think its actually beneficial because then you can't accidentally lower the volume.
• No back light for the buttons. May cause you to stumble around a bit at night.

SHOULD YOU BUY THIS DIGITAL VIDEO BABY MONITOR?

Gauging from the many positive feedbacks it has been getting, this is a very good buy. You can CHECK HERE to see how many reviews it has gotten at Amazon plus the current rating. It is also among the best selling baby monitor at Amazon. Obviously, there are a lot of happy users out there.

The price may be a little steep but you're getting lots of functions and the product works. Yes, it works! I believe that is the key why so many parents are recommending it. Many parents share how they've been disappointed by other brands of baby monitor before they finally found this Motorola MBP36 model. They are happy with it because it performs up to expectations. One mother puts it this way "Awesome monitor and well worth the money as now I finally get some sleep and peace of mind at night!!!"

It may not be 100% perfect but the negatives are negligible. You won't find many other digital video baby monitors that perform better than this.

Click here to find out the SPECIAL OFFER available with this product.

*This review contains affiliate links

Lorex LW241 LIVE Sense Wireless Video Home Monitor

When you have a new baby, you've got to keep an eye on them 24-7. That becomes even more important when they start to become mobile. My kids like to explore and somehow, they gravitate to things they shouldn't touch or places they shouldn't go. Well, that is pretty normal for toddlers. They are just curious about everything.

Unfortunately, I can't be stuck to my kids the whole time. There are meals to prepare and laundry to do. I'm sure you know what I mean right? If you have a big house, or even a double story house, you  may need the help of baby monitors.

There are many types of baby monitors but the Lorex LW241 LIVE sense Wireless Video Home Monitor gives you the ability to keep an eye on your children over the Internet using Skype.

Of course that is not the only benefit of this baby monitor model, here is a quick look at all its features.

FEATURES

• Wireless 3.5-inch LCD Monitor-Receiver
• Up to 450ft/150m reception line of sight (this means with no obstructions). Actual range will vary depending on obstructions.
• Connect over the Internet via Skype. Able to view with iPhone and iPad.
• Touch-button and Sound-Activated video recording
• Talk with baby intercom. 2 way audio.
• Built-in timer so you can keep track of feeding times.
• Built-in lullabies on the camera
• Temperature monitoring. A built-in alarm warns you if the temperature changes outside of your selected range.
• Automatic IR night-vision up to 15ft.
• Secure, private Digital Wireless video & audio. Digital signal with FHSS technology.
• Audio indicator lights
• Expandable up to 4 cameras

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT?

CLEAR IMAGES

The video camera has a high resolution image sensor that gives you clear video images. The night images are also very clear. With the night vision, you don't have to turn on the light to check on your baby. You can monitor your baby knowing exactly what is going on. It will give you a peace of mind that is invaluable. Imagine having a good night's rest, going to the bathroom or enjoying a nice bath without worrying if your baby needs you at that moment.

NO INTERFERENCE AND SECURE

This baby monitor uses FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) digital technology. There are 3 benefits to this technology: privacy, decreased narrowband interference, and better signal capacity.  You will face no interference from other 2.4GHz systems. The screen doesn’t get fuzzy when you turn on your microwave. You don't have to worry about your Wi-fi and cordless phones. You will have absolute privacy, unlike analog monitors. Outsiders cannot eavesdrop or pick up your transmission. What you see and hear are for your eyes and ears only.

MONITORING THROUGH INTERNET

If you're not at home, you can still access your video camera through Skype. You could use it as a nanny cam. Keep tabs on how your babysitter is taking care of your children. Grandparents and aunts can also take a peek online on how the children are growing. Daddy at work might need a break from the stress. Seeing little junior sleeping soundly in his crib could be just the thing to put a smile on his face.

RECORD THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS

With one press of a button, you can record what your baby is doing. You can transfer the recording of your children's cute antics onto your computer and then later share that online with friends and family. You also have the option of sound-activated recording. When the noise exceeds a certain level, the monitor alerts you and starts recording. So if your child starts to cry, you can check your recording to see what was the cause of it. The recordings are stored in a memory card which is included in the box when you buy it. They are organized according to the date of the recordings.

2 WAY INTERCOM

Not only can you hear your children, you can talk to them too. You can sooth your baby back to sleep or tell your toddler that you'll be there shortly. You can also intercom your kids to tell them to come down for dinner. No need to shout down the house.

MULTIPLE VIEWING MODES

If you have more than one camera installed, you have the option of viewing a single channel, scan the different channels or have a split-screen and view all the cameras at the same time.

AUDIO INDICATOR LIGHTS

Sometimes the volume of the tv, radio, vacuum cleaner or hair dryer could make it difficult to hear the baby monitor. If that is the case, the audio indicator lights will show you the level of noise in the baby's room.

VERY EASY SET UP

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to set up the monitor system. This is a very simple plug-and-play.

MONITORING YOUR BABY'S COMFORT

You can remotely play the lullabies built into the camera. You just need to press a button on your handheld. This is one way you can soothe your baby to sleep. There's also the temperature sensor to let you know if it is getting too hot or cold for your baby. 

PORTABLE

The 3.5-inch LCD screen monitor is almost the size of a smartphone. It is easy to carry it around. You could put it in your pocket or plop it on the table.

TIPS

• This can be more than just a baby monitor. It can also be an in-home surveillance system.
• The resolution on the handheld monitor is 320x240. If you are viewing on a computer, that resolution would give you the clearest image. If you blow it up more than that, the image will become blurry.
• Need extra cameras? This is where you can get them: Lorex LW2401AC1 Add-on Wireless Color Camera for Lorex LW241 & LW2401
  
• If you want a camera that can pan and tilt, you can get it here:
  Lorex Wireless Add-On Accessory Camera LW2451AC1

COMPLAINS

• It doesn't have a zoom feature. Some parents prefer this, some don't. If you want to find a product that zooms, make sure the picture doesn't become grainy after zooming.
• You need to connect the monitor to your computer by USB if you want to view through Skype. May be a little bit of a hassle. Would be nice if it was wireless.

REVIEWS

Read on to get an idea what some parents think about this product:

Have had one for a few months and love it. It would be nice if video quality were better and camera had wider angle, but it serves it’s purpose well. With the multi-camera monitoring, we’ve been tempted to get another camera to record evidence of the cleaning crew indulging in our refrigerated goods. :)
Mashable.com comment

"The video is decent quality and the frame rate is fast so it doesn't appear choppy like cheaper monitors. Battery life is good. The monitor and charging cradle are good quality and buttons and menus are intuitive and easy to navigate. Set up and installation were very quick and easy. The camera can also work wirelessly with 4 AA batteries but I have yet to find a need for that feature. Range is excellent. I walked around my entire block with the monitor and only lost signal when there were physical obstructions in the way(like other houses). The monitor has a signal strength indicator just like a cell phone as well as an out range warning unlike other models. The features it lacks compared to others are pan, tilt, and zoom, as well as the ability to view the feed from your TV....The features I liked were the temperature display and temp alarm, built-in lullabies, auto and manual recording to an included SD card, and auto muting so that you don't have to listen to white-noise. The deciding factor for me was the ability to remote view the video feed using Skype."
Bestbuy customer

"I love the movement sensor, you don't have to be watching the monitor constantly to know that one of them is in action it just beeps and I know to look, Also the picture is very sharp and clear even at night. I can finally sleep again without worrying. And the modern design is a plus. I am really loving this monitor !!"
Bestbuy customer

"Some of the features I love are the adjustable sensitivity, built in night light, built in pre recorded lullabies, two way communication, automatic record upon movement, the temp gauge, etc. The battery works very well - I leave the base upstairs and charge it at night. During the day I just carry the handheld unit downstairs while the kids nap. Signal strength is awesome too! My last 2 monitors got terrible reception, but this one doesn't interfere with all my husbands "gadgets". Save yourself some headache and get this one!"
Bestbuy customer

"I have been playing around with it and so far, I'm super impressed with what this can do. If you have any place in your home you want to monitor, this is the item. This is not just a "baby monitor", it's an in-home surveillance system and can even give you peace of mind when you aren't home. I would think this would be a great item to keep an eye on a puppy as well. Highly recommend. It is expensive but the quality and features make it worth the price. "
Amazon customer

"We've been using this Lorex video monitor for a couple of months now and we love it. It leaves nothing to the imagination. You know exactly how your child is sleeping. The video is very crisp in daytime and the night view is impressively detailed considering its subtle non-intrusive red lights. We use a cool mist humidifier as noise maker in our daughters room and it does not cause noticeable interference. The set up was pretty simple and everything connected without any hassles."
Amazon customer

Click Here To Read What Amazon Customers Are Saying

VERDICT

This monitor is perfect if you want to monitor more than 1 room in your house. Taking into consideration that this baby monitor is produced by a company that is an expert on do-it-yourself video surveillance, you can only expect high quality. The Lorex Technology has been in this business for 15 years. Although a bit pricey, it can function more than just a baby monitor. You can install up to 4 cameras. You can watch more than just your baby room. With clear images, secure digital technology and online monitoring, it is a good investment towards an in-home surveillance system.

Check out the Special Offers and Product Promotions that comes with this baby monitor.

*This review contains affiliate links.